Mapleshade's Past
by Spottedheart of RiverClan
Summary: This is the story of Mapleshade's life from kit to warrior. What drove her onto the wrong path?
1. Allegiances and Prologue

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: **Foxstar- **handsome ginger tom with a fluffy tail

Deputy: **Cloverfoot- **pale-gray she-cat with one white paw

Medicine Cat: **Bluemoon- **old gray tom with dark blue eyes [APPRENTICE, **Sagefeather**]

Warriors:

**Darksky- **very dark gray she-cat with black speckles

**Orangewhisker- **ginger tabby tom [APPRENTICE, **Larkpaw**]

**Rockclaw- **large dark gray tabby tom

**Whitebird- **small white she-cat

**Sandcloud- **dusty brown she-cat with amber eyes [APPRENTICE, **Mudpaw**]

**Rainpelt- **mottled blue-gray tom

**Crowheart- **black tom with white paws [APPRENTICE, **Sparkpaw**]

**Ashfire- **ginger-and-gray she-cat

**Snowstorm- **white tom with long fur

**Voleclaw- **dark brown tabby tom

**Leafbreeze- **brown-and-white she-cat

Apprentices

**Sagefeather- **brown she-cat with white and black spots

**Larkpaw- **pale-brown tabby she-cat

**Mudpaw- **pale-brown tabby tom with a white tail-tip and underbelly

**Sparkpaw- **gray tom with white flecks

Queens

**Spottedtail- **gray she-cat with a mottled gray tail and a white underbelly [mother to Maplekit]

**Redflower- **red-brown tabby she-cat [mother to Lilykit and Mousekit]

Elders

**Littlefoot- **brown she-cat with small paws

**Oakwhisker- **gray tabby tom with amber eyes

**Stormflight- **scruffy black tom

RiverClan

Leader: **Sunstar- **ginger-and-white tabby tom

Deputy: **Pebbleclaw- **dark gray tom

Medicine Cat: **Palepetal- **white she-cat with pale-blue eyes

Warriors

**Goldenfur- **large bright ginger tom with a white underbelly

**Splashpelt- **brown tom with darker patches [APPRENTICE, **Applepaw**]

**Mistlily- **pale-gray tabby she-cat [APPRENTICE, **Stormpaw**]

**Otterstripe- **dark brown tabby tom

**Flowerstem- **tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

**Owlwing- **gray-and-white tom

**Mosstail- **pale-brown she-cat

Apprentices

**Applepaw- **dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

**Stormpaw- **mottled gray she-cat

Queens

**Honeycloud- **golden tabby she-cat

**Flameflower- **red she-cat with lighter paws and tail-tip

Elders

**Berrywhisker- **light gray tom

**Molefoot- **brown tabby tom

ShadowClan

Leader: **Lizardstar- **dark brown tabby tom with piercing green eyes

Deputy: **Nightflower- **sleek jet-black she-cat [APPRENTICE, **Fangpaw**]

Medicine Cat: **Duskpelt- **pale tortoiseshell she-cat with a white face and underbelly

Warriors

**Ratclaw- **brown tabby tom with long claws [APPRENTICE, **Fawnpaw**]

**Russetdawn- **dark ginger tabby she-cat

**Wolfheart- **large gray-and-white tabby tom

**Nettleface- **mottled pale-brown she-cat with long fur [APPRENTICE, **Shadowpaw**]

**Ravenfoot- **black tom

Apprentices

**Fangpaw- **black-and-white tom with long teeth

**Fawnpaw- **slender dark brown tabby she-cat

**Shadowpaw- **dark gray she-cat

Queens

**Rosestorm- **cream-and-brown she-cat

Elders

**Raggedfur- **old black tom with messy fur

**Squirreltail- **pale-brown-and-white she-cat

WindClan

Leader: **Blossomstar- **tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Deputy: **Swallowclaw- **black, gray, and white tom

Medicine Cat: **Birdfeather- **small white she-cat with pale-gray striped

[APPRENTICE, **Streampaw**]

Warriors

**Waspfoot- **gray tom with black feet

**Swiftheart- **tabby-and-white she-cat

**Cottonfur- **fluffy white she-cat

**Brightstorm- **pale-ginger tabby tom [APPRENTICE, **Thornpaw**]

**Kitewing- **mottled dark gray tom

Apprentices

**Streampaw- **silver she-cat with bright eyes

**Thornpaw- **dark ginger tom

Queens

**Cloudsong- **pale-gray she-cat with a white underbelly

**Sorrelfur- **dark tortoiseshell she-cat

Elders

**Hareleap- **light gray tabby she-cat

**Treestorm- **dark brown tom

Cats Outside of Clans

**Tiger- **bright ginger tom with dark tabby stripes

**Blood- **red tom

**Scratch- **large battle-scarred black tom

**Ice- **spiky-furred white tom

**Harry- **gray tom with a bob-tail

**Ginger- **dark ginger she-cat

**Marcy- **black she-cat

Prologue

The claw-shaped moon shone dimly above the ThunderClan nursery as the wind howled fiercely around the camp, causing the leaves of the bush around the nursery to shake and blow off, sending leaves into the gray-and-white queen's nest.

The queen's belly was swollen with kits as she lay on her side, panting and groaning in agony.

A ginger tom, a gray tom, and a small tortoiseshell she-cat sat around the queen.

The ginger tom gently rasped his rough tongue along the queen's head, comforting her with purrs. "Spottedtail, my dear, don't worry; soon we'll have healthy kits for ThunderClan."

The queen murmured something in reply, but the quiet whisper turned into a screech as a tiny tortoiseshell kit slipped out onto the nursery floor.

The brown, white, and black she-cat scooped the kit up and began to lick it vigorously, but gently, until the kit let out a tiny cry for air.

"A she-kit," the she-cat mewed. "Foxstar, you must be proud."

The ginger tom padded to get a closer look at his daughter. He purred. "She looks just like my sister, Sweetmaple." Foxstar sighed. "Spottedtail, can we call her Maplekit, after my sister?"

Spottedtail licked Foxstar's cheek. "That's a perfect name for her; your sister was a strong warrior."

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed from the sky, sending a large tree down on top of the nursery.

Foxstar dragged Spottedtail and Maplekit out from the pile of branches that was crushed underneath the large tree. Rain poured down onto them, soaking their pelts.

The she-cat and old tom squeezed out from the ruined nursery. The old tom's blue eyes widened when he looked at the crushed nursery.

"Bluemoon, it's okay," the she-cat soothed. "We can rebuild it."

"It's not that, Sagefeather," Bluemoon gasped. "A maple tree fell on the nursery; this is an omen from StarClan."

"But what does it mean?" Foxstar asked. "Surely it's not because of Maplekit, is it? I could have been a coincidence."

Bluemoon turned to the ThunderClan leader. "Keep your eye on your daughter with caution, Foxstar, for she is more powerful than you may think."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter I

Leaves of many colors lay scattered on the ground of the camp, blowing up in the air every now and then because of the breezes of wind.

Maplekit crouched down behind the bushes with her amber eyes fixed upon a bright red leaf. Suddenly, the wind blew, sending the leaf up in the air. Maplekit leaped out of the bushes and pounced on the leaf with her tiny claws unsheathed.

"Got you!" she squealed with joy at the thrill of her catch.

"You've caught your first prey," an amused purr sounded from the fresh-kill pile.

Maplekit turned her head. Her eyes brightened with pride. "Hi, Larkpaw! Did you see me catch that leaf? Huh, did you?"

Larkpaw chuckled. "I did. That was an excellent pounce, Maplekit. I can't wait to see how well you hunt when you become an apprentice."

Maplekit puffed out her white chest. "Do you think Foxstar will let me become an apprentice early? I _am _his daughter!"

Larkpaw shook her head. "I'm sorry, but Foxstar's not going to break Clan rules. You'll have to wait a few more moons." She informed gently.

With a sigh, Maplekit's tail drooped. "Mouse-dung." She muttered under her breath.

Larkpaw murmured something to the other apprentices she was eating with and padded toward Maplekit, who was hunched over with disappointment.

"Don't worry, Maplekit," Larkpaw soothed. "Your apprenticeship will come sooner than you think. Just enjoy the life you have as a kit and you'll be six moons old before you know it! You've only got to wait three moons."

Maplekit turned toward the pale-brown apprentice. "Thanks, Larkpaw." She licked Larkpaw on her cheek and scampered toward the makeshift nursery in a hollow tree trunk in the back of the camp. The nursery had gotten destroyed by a large maple tree that had fallen on it when Maplekit was born, and she was lucky to escape. Warriors and apprentices were busily working on the repairs of the nursery.

Maplekit didn't really like the hollow tree trunk, because it didn't block the wind and rain, but the old nursery would soon be repaired, and she could return to it.

The hole in the trunk was small, but it was big enough for a queen to fit through. Maplekit jumped over tree roots that surrounded the tree and ran into the nursery, running into Lilykit, which caused her to roll back and land in Redflower's nest.

"Hey!" the pale-ginger she-kit screeched as she shook bits of moss and feathers from her pelt. "Watch where you're going, runt!"

Lilykit's comment stung Maplekit, and she flinched. But it was true. Maplekit was tiny when she was born, and she was still small. Lilykit and her brother, Mousekit, were a moon younger than her, but they were bigger than her. Maplekit bared her teeth in a snarl. The tortoiseshell kit was usually calm, but when she was insulted, she tended to lose her temper.

"Take that back, fox-breath!" Maplekit hissed as she ruffled her long fur and growled.

"You wanna go?" Lilykit challenged with a smug grin on her face. Her pale-green eyes brightened up at the thought of a fight.

"Bring it on!" Maplekit replied.

At that, Lilykit sprung herself onto Maplekit, knocking her down with her greater weight. Maplekit squealed in pain as Lilykit bit down hard on her tail with her tiny, sharp teeth.

Maplekit slid out her claws and scratched Lilykit's face. Suddenly, Lilykit howled in agony and fell off of Maplekit. Blood dripping down her face, she ran toward her mother, who was rushing over to her.

"Lilykit, what happened?" Redflower asked as she frantically checked her kit.

"M-my eye!" Lilykit wailed as she blinked blood away from her eye. "Maplekit scratched it!"

Redflower angrily turned toward Maplekit with fear in her eyes. "What is wrong with you?" she scolded. "Where is your mother?"

"But she started it!" Maplekit protested. "She called me a runt!"

"And so you ruined my daughter's beautiful face?" Redflower retorted.

Spottedtail popped her gray head inside the tree. "Redflower, what's all the hollering about?"

Redflower stomped toward Maplekit's mother with arrogance. "That _monster_," the queen flicked her tail at Maplekit, "scratched Lilykit's eye! Who knows what kind of damage she has done to her?"

Spottedtail was a calm cat, and she sighed, turning to Maplekit. "Is this true?"

Redflower snorted. "Like the little brat is gonna tell the truth!"

Maplekit shuffled her paws on the wooden floor. "Well, yes, but Lilykit called me names and she attacked me first. I was just defending myself!"

"Liar!" Lilykit hissed.

"_Someone _is lying," Redflower growled. "And it _certainly _isn't my Lilykit! I suggest you take Maplekit to Foxstar for an appropriate punishment; maybe a delayed apprenticeship."

Maplekit's heart sank. This wasn't fair! Lilykit had obviously started the fight, but she would never admit it. _Foxstar should take my side _Maplekit hoped as her, Spottedtail, Redflower, and a bleeding Lilykit made their way through the middle of the camp towards Foxstar's den.

His den was in a small cave underneath the Highrock, carved by an ancient stream many seasons ago. Spottedtail entered the den first, while Maplekit, Redflower, and Lilykit waited outside.

Moments later, Spottedtail returned and flicked her tail inside the cave, signaling it was okay to come in.

The cave a relatively big; Foxstar's nest lay in the back of the den. A pile of bones lay beside it, showing he had just eaten.

Foxstar emerged into the middle of the den. His broad, muscular shoulders rippled every time his massive paws took a step. Maplekit was proud he was her father, but she was also scared of what he would do to her.

"What seems to be the problem?" his deep voice echoed back from the stone cave walls.

"_She_," Redflower began angrily as she pointed at me with her tail, "scratched Lilykit's eye for no reason!"

Foxstar turned his mate. "Did you see this happen?"

Spottedtail shook her head. "I was getting fresh-kill."

"Maplekit, is this true?" Foxstar asked me with a serious gaze.

"Yes, Foxstar," Maplekit began. "And I'm sorry, but she called me a name, and attacked me first. I did it as an act of self-defense."

"Redflower?" Foxstar asked the angry queen. "Did you see it happen?"

"Of course I did!" Redflower snorted. "Your daughter is guilty! I suggest an appropriate punishment would be to push back her apprenticeship-"

"_I'll _handle it," Foxstar interrupted. "I'm Clan leader, and she's _my _daughter. So, go and take Lilykit to see Bluemoon and Sagefeather."

Redflower muttered something inaudible under her breath as she escorted Lilykit out of the den with her tail wrapped around her protectively.

Foxstar sighed and turned to me. "Maplekit, I'm very disappointed in you."

"But Foxstar, she called me 'runt'," Maplekit whimpered. "It's not my fault I'm small."

Foxstar licked Maplekit on the head gently. "I'm not going to hold back your apprentice ceremony, but you will be grounded in the nursery until the medicine cats go to the Moonstone, which is in a quarter moon."

Maplekit opened her jaws to protest, but she shut it quickly and bowed her head. "Yes, father." She sighed as she padded out of Foxstar's den and into the nursery.

Maplekit curled her tail over her nose and closed her eyes; sleep soon overcame her like a black wave.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Maplekit awoke, stretching her legs and yawning. Her paws touched her mother's soft belly as she stretched. She opened her eyes; Lilykit was finally back in the nursery after a moon, and she slept curled up beside Redflower. Her eye healed, but there was a long scar above and below her eye.

Maplekit stood up, shaking bits of moss from her pelt. She felt safe under the canopy of leaves that made the ceiling of the nursery.

The old nursery had recently been fixed, and the queens and kits were pleased about it, because they didn't like the hollow tree either.

Maplekit began sneak out of the nursery through a small hole in the back.

"Where are you going?" a friendly voice asked.

Maplekit turned and saw Lilykit's brother, Mousekit, stumbling toward her, trying not to wake the queens or his sister up. His dark tabby fur was fluffed out against the draft that blew into the nursery through the hole.

"Mousekit!" Maplekit hissed quietly. "Why are you awake?"

Mousekit snorted playfully. "You were making so much racket, even Oakwhisker could hear you all the way in the elders' den."

With a sigh, Maplekit slipped out through the hole. She rolled her eyes when she heard another set of paws following her.

Mousekit let out a squeal.

"What?" Maplekit hissed.

"My tail is stuck in the thorns!" Mousekit wailed.

Maplekit padded over and grabbed Mousekit's paw with her teeth, pulling backwards until he freed his tail. The tabby kitten began to lick the bit of blood off of his tail and muttered under his breath about the thorns stuck in his tail. He gingerly yanked them out and padded close behind Maplekit.

"Where are we going exactly?" Mousekit asked once he caught up to Maplekit.

"Fresh-kill pile, I'm starving!" Maplekit mewed.

The camp was alive with ThunderClan warriors eating and sharing tongues. Maplekit scanned the camp for the fresh-kill pile. Her mouth watered once she spotted it piled high with mice, birds, and other creatures.

She and Mousekit padded toward the large pile. Her jaws open to take in the scrumptious scents. Maplekit spotted a plump mouse and she grabbed its tail in her jaws and dragged it out. Mousekit grabbed two mice, stumbling over them as he walked.

"Need some help, kiddo?" a blue-gray tom asked as he dashed toward Mousekit. It was his father, Rainpelt.

"Thanks, Rainpelt," Mousekit muttered through the mouse tail in his mouth.

As they padded toward the nursery, Rainpelt was casting suspicious glances at Maplekit. The tortoiseshell she-kit ignored it, because she knew who really was guilty; Lilykit.

The three cats were silent until they reached the nursery. Rainpelt slid inside the small opening, followed by Maplekit and Mousekit.

Spottedtail's head lifted when she smelled the mouse. She looked at Maplekit. "Did you drag that all the way from the fresh-kill pile by yourself?"

"Yep!" Maplekit squeaked cheerfully when she dropped the mouse on her and Spottedtail's nest.

Redflower awoke, along with Lilykit. Rainpelt licked the scar over Lilykit's eye, giving me angry glares at each tongue stroke.

"He's not happy with you right now," Mousekit whispered to Maplekit when his father wasn't looking. "I can't really blame him though, you _did _ruin Lilykit's good looks."

"But she attacked me first!" Maplekit defended herself.

Mousekit looked at Maplekit for a few heartbeats before speaking. "I believe you, Maplekit."

"Then could you explain that to them?" Maplekit flicked her white tail angrily at Redflower and Rainpelt. "Cause they treat me like crowfood."

Mousekit shrugged and shook his head. "I can't convince them, but don't worry about it. They'll soon forgive you."

Maplekit sniffed. "Why do I feel like I always have to prove myself to be a good kit? It's like everyone in the Clan knows something that I don't know." She dropped her head and slowly padded toward her mother, who had eaten most of the mouse. Maplekit finished the rest of the mouse and curled up on the far edge of the nest, as far away from Redflower and Lilykit as possible.

Mousekit scampered up next to Maplekit and curled up next to her. "You don't have to prove yourself for me. I'll always like you, Maplekit." He murmured before his breaths became steady, showing he was asleep.

Maplekit liked the feeling of Mousekit's soft fur brushing on her back every time he took a breath. "I'll always like you too, Mousekit." She whispered.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter III

"Until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Maplepaw," Foxstar proudly proclaimed as Maplepaw sat eagerly underneath the Highrock. Her white tail twitched impatiently as she waited to see who her father would choose to mentor her.

"I will take you on as an apprentice," Foxstar announced.

Maplepaw jumped up onto the Highrock and touched noses with her father. The warmth and happiness in his eyes showed that he loved her.

"Maplepaw! Maplepaw!"

Mousekit began to cheer, along with everyone else.

"Maplepaw! Maplepaw!"

Maplepaw leaped down from the Highrock. Spottedtail rushed up to her and licked her head. "I'm so proud of you." She murmured. "You've got an excellent mentor."

Foxstar ran up beside Maplepaw. He rubbed his muzzle on her cheek. "You're both coming to tonight's Gathering at Fourtrees."

Maplepaw's eyes widened. She then dipped her head in a bow. "It's an honor, Foxstar, to go to a Gathering when I have just been apprenticed. I wasn't expecting it. Thank you, father."

Foxstar purred. "Why don't you go and get your nest in the apprentices' den ready?"

As he said that, Larkpaw bounded toward Foxstar, Spottedtail, and Maplepaw. She licked Maplepaw's cheek. "Come on, Maplepaw. We have a spot picked out for you."

Maplepaw waved her tail at her parents and followed Larkpaw into the apprentices' den. The pale-brown apprentice was only a little bit bigger than Maplepaw. Maplepaw had grown a lot since Lilykit had called her a runt, and now she was bigger than her and Mousekit. _Let's see her call me a runt now! _She thought with pleasure.

The apprentices' den was a large bush with leaves and branches as a canopy over the trunk in the center of the den. Larkpaw pushed aside a branch that was covering the entrance of the den to let Maplepaw walk in.

Three nests lay scattered around the inside. A tom with the same pale-brown tabby coat as Larkpaw, but the only thing that differed from them was a white tail-tip and underbelly, was stuffing feathers and moss in his nest. He looked up as Maplepaw and Larkpaw entered the den.

"This must be the new apprentice," the tom meowed in a friendly purr. "I'm Mudpaw, Larkpaw's brother."

"A noisy one, too," Larkpaw muttered teasingly. "You won't want to sleep next to him; he snores like a badger with a cold! You can put your nest next to mine. Sparkpaw should be out collecting some moss for the elders. If he has some left over, you can use it for your nest. If not, then we can just go and collect it ourselves."

As she finished saying that, a gray apprentice padded inside the den. The sun shown down on his white-flecked pelt, making it look like coals alight with fire.

"Speaking of Sparkpaw, here he is now!" Larkpaw meowed. "And he's got extra moss." She padded toward Sparkpaw and took the moss out of his mouth.

Maplepaw followed her and helped her arrange the moss into a nest. Mudpaw had left a few feathers to add to it kindly.

"Ok, her nest has been made," Sparkpaw grumbled impatiently. "Now come on; let's get some fresh-kill. I could eat a fox!"

"Wanna come eat with us?" Larkpaw offered to Maplepaw.

"Sure!" Maplepaw exclaimed as she followed Larkpaw, Mudpaw, and Sparkpaw into the clearing.

Larkpaw and Mudpaw grabbed a rabbit to share, while Sparkpaw and Maplepaw took a shrew each.

The four apprentices settled down to eat by the nettle clump, right where they could see the whole camp. The sun felt good on Maplepaw's back, almost warming her up completely against the cold leaf-fall wind.

"So," Mudpaw began with a mouthful of rabbit, "who's going to tonight's Gathering?"

"I'm going," Sparkpaw replied modestly as he took small bites out of his shrew.

"Me too!" Maplepaw exclaimed a little too loud and childlike. She shut her mouth as the three apprentices stared at her with surprise.

"Foxstar is letting you go to the Gathering?" Mudpaw asked. "That's odd; usually he doesn't let new apprentices go to Gatherings. It's an honor to go to one if you've been an apprentice for a few moons."

"Well, she is his daughter," Sparkpaw pointed out. "Favoritism."

Maplepaw's fur bristled. "No; he's also the leader _and _my mentor! He probably has a good reason for wanting me to go."

Sparkpaw shrugged. "Whatever." He grunted as he finished his meal.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

Maplepaw paced at the camp entrance impatiently waiting for Foxstar to begin the journey down to Fourtrees for the Gathering.

A slight breeze blew and the air was damp, showing signs that rain was coming. Maplepaw looked to the sky, but there were no clouds, and the full moon shone brightly.

"Who are we waiting on?" a messy-pelted black tom grumbled as he suppressed a shiver. "We'll all freeze if we don't get a move on!"

"Patience Stormflight," Littlefoot soothed. "Bluemoon is just making all the herbs are stocked up; he should be done any moment, then we can go."

"He's older than I am!" the grumpy elder muttered. "I wonder how long it will be until he joins StarClan." He added with a hint of sorrow.

Then, the old medicine cat trotted to join the group, followed by his apprentice, Sagefeather. "We can leave now, Foxstar."

The might leader nodded his head briskly and flicked his tail at the group of ThunderClan cats behind him.

Maplepaw galloped up beside Sparkpaw, who was walking beside his mentor, Crowheart. "Have you ever been to a Gathering?" she asked the gray-and-white apprentice.

"Yep," Sparkpaw replied curtly.

"Is it exciting? How many cats are there? What are the other Clans like?" Maplepaw questioned with enthusiasm.

"Don't embarrass your father by behaving like a daft kit," Crowheart grunted harshly.

Maplepaw's tail dropped and she padded ahead beside Spottedtail. Her mother's green gaze was fixed upon the path ahead of her, and she acknowledged Maplepaw's presence with an ear twitch.

Soon, the Gathering patrol reached Fourtrees. Maplepaw stared at it in awe; she had never seen so many cats in one place!

As the ThunderClan warriors began to make their way into the crowd of different Clans, Maplepaw ran ahead excitedly.

On the Highrock sat the leaders of the other Clans. A mighty ginger-and-white tabby tom sat in the middle of the other two leaders who sat up there. When Foxstar leapt up to join them, he nodded respectfully to the other three cats.

As Maplepaw sat there staring at the leaders, out of the corner of her eye she spotted a dark tabby apprentice approaching her. He carried a strong scent that she had never smelled before.

"Hi there!" the apprentice greeted cheerfully. "My name is Applepaw! I'm from RiverClan!"

Maplepaw mewed. "I'm Maplepaw. I'm from ThunderClan."

"I know," Applepaw replied as he washed his pale chest. "I could tell by your scent. You haven't been an apprentice long, have you?" he added curiously.

"I just became one today!" Maplepaw meowed proudly.

"Lucky furball!" Applepaw exclaimed. "Sunstar wouldn't let _me_ go to Gatherings until I was eight moons old."

"Which one is Sunstar?" Maplepaw asked, scanning the four leaders who sat mightily on top of the Highrock.

"He's the ginger-and-white tabby sitting next to that tortoiseshell, Blossomstar; she's WindClan's leader." Applepaw listed. "ShadowClan's leader, Lizardstar, is the dark brown tabby up there." He flicked his tail to the muscular tom with piercing green eyes.

Maplepaw shuddered. "I wouldn't want to get in a fight with him!"

"Yeah, me neither," Applepaw agreed. "My mentor, Splashpelt, says he's one of the coldest leaders ShadowClan has ever had. I've heard that there are ShadowClan apprentices that are older than some of the warriors, because he keeps them apprentices until they win a battle or something."

Maplepaw shook her tortoiseshell head. "I'm glad I'm ThunderClan."

"Me too," Applepaw agreed. "I meant, uh, glad to be RiverClan, not ThunderClan!" he exclaimed quickly. "Not that there's anything wrong with ThunderClan, it's just that, you know, I'm a loyal RiverClan cat!" he added, licking his dark tabby paw in embarrassment.

Maplepaw purred, and gently cuffed the RiverClan apprentice's ear with her black paw.

Applepaw flicked his tail in amusement, and twitched his whiskers. He opened his jaws to say something, but a large brown tom padded over to Applepaw. "Hush," he hissed quietly, flicking his darker-patched tail at the Great Rock. "The Gathering is about to start." His green gaze traveled from Applepaw to Maplepaw. He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Maplepaw of ThunderClan," Maplepaw replied, holding the RiverClan warrior's steady and intimidating gaze.

The tom purred. "You look a bit young to be an apprentice."

"She just became one today," Applepaw added. "Maplepaw, this is my mentor, Splashpelt."

Maplepaw dipped her head respectfully to the large warrior.

"And who is your mentor?" Splashpelt asked.

"Foxstar is!" Applepaw answered Maplepaw's question. "Isn't she lucky?"

"Lucky indeed," Splashpelt murmured. "Come along," he meowed to his apprentice, "let's join Mistlily and Stormpaw." He nodded to a pale-gray RiverClan she-cat and a mottled RiverClan apprentice.

"Yes, Splashpelt," Applepaw meowed. As he padded behind the brown warrior, he waved his tail "goodbye" at Maplepaw.

When Applepaw left, Maplepaw found a spot beside Spottedtail and a dark tortoiseshell she-cat who carried a different smell. The she-cat carried the scent of milk, so she was obviously a queen, but Maplepaw didn't know which Clan she belonged to.

Spottedtail purred when she saw Maplepaw arrive. She turned to the tortoiseshell queen. "Sorrelfur, this is Maplepaw, my daughter. Maplepaw," Spottedtail introduced, "this is Sorrelfur of WindClan."

"Hello, young one," the WindClan queen meowed gently. "She has Foxstar's eyes."

Spottedtail twitched her ear in agreement as the two cats shared tongues. Maplepaw found it odd that cats from different Clans were acting to friendly to one another, but then again, this was a Gathering, and the peace would only last while the full moon shone.

Suddenly, Maplepaw heard Foxstar yowl from the Great Rock. His long ginger fur rippled in the leaf-bare wind and his broad shoulders were clearly visible as he stood mightily on the rock. Fourtrees fell silent.

"ThunderClan is going well," Foxstar began, "despite the leaf-bare wind and snow. We have a new apprentice, Maplepaw, and she is here tonight."

Maplepaw flinched as dozens of eyes glared at her. Cats mewed greetings to her from all different Clans.

Foxstar nodded to the RiverClan leader, Sunstar. The ginger-and-white tom stepped forward. "RiverClan is also thriving. We are thankful to StarClan for providing the river for us filled with fish."

Blossomstar, WindClan's leader, spoke next. "WindClan would like to warn the other Clans about a fox that has been spotted in our territory close to the gorge." She meowed the last part to Sunstar. "Though, it shouldn't be much trouble; it was skinny and weak. My warriors drove it off without effort."

Lizardstar cleared his throat and stepped forward. "ShadowClan is obviously doing excellent, as you can tell by my strong warriors," his gruff, arrogant meow rang throughout Fourtrees. "ThunderClan has been scented on our side of the Thunderpath." He growled suddenly at Foxstar. The ShadowClan leader's dark tabby pelt bristled.

Yowls of anger rang up from the ThunderClan warriors.

"Silence!" Foxstar ordered his Clan. He then turned to Lizardstar's challenging green glare. "You clearly must be mistaken, Lizardstar. ThunderClan have not been on our territory. You could possibly be smelling a rouge."

"Liar!" Lizardstar hissed. "Do you think I can't tell the difference between rouge and ThunderClan scent? My deputy found mouse blood in our territory with ThunderClan's scent as well!"

Maplepaw spotted Clovertail glaring at a jet-black she-cat, who must be ShadowClan's deputy, because the black she-cat spat something at Clovertail angrily.

Darkness swept over Fourtrees, engulfing it completely. Cats yowled with fear.

"It's a bad omen!" Maplepaw heard Bluemoon shout. "StarClan are angry because of our fighting!"

Foxstar leaped off of the Great Rock. "The Gathering is over!" he announced.

Maplepaw looked over her shoulder to see Lizardstar approaching Foxstar. "If you think ShadowClan are going to let ThunderClan get away with stealing prey, you're wrong!" he hissed before he ran to lead his group of ShadowClan cats back to their own territory.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter V

"Wake up, you lazy badger!" Maplepaw heard an annoyed growl, followed by a paw roughly prodding her flank. She opened her eyes to find Sparkpaw standing over her nest. His gray ear twitched as he watched her arise and stretch.

"Foxstar, Crowheart, Orangewhisker, and Sandcloud are waiting at the camp entrance," Sparkpaw flicked his white-flecked tail to the four cats; Mudpaw and Larkpaw waited with them. "They want to show you the territory, and after that, we're going to teach you how to hunt."

Stifling a yawn, Maplepaw burst out from the apprentices' den and bounded toward Foxstar. Her white tail was held high in the air and her paws itched impatiently. She was finally going to see the entire ThunderClan territory! She had seen part of it on the way to the Gathering two nights ago, but now, she was going to see everything.

"Have you eaten?" Foxstar asked Maplepaw as she approached.

Maplepaw shook her head. "I'm too excited to eat!"

Foxstar purred. "You're going to need the prey for strength, and you will get hungry if you don't eat anything now. Go and eat something; don't worry," he added when Maplepaw's tail dropped, "we'll wait for you."

"Thanks, Foxstar!" Maplepaw meowed before she turned around to eat a quick breakfast.

When she was done eating her mouse, she joined the patrol of mentors and apprentices out of the thorn barrier.

As soon as she stepped out of the camp, she felt a breeze tug at her thick tortoiseshell pelt. Her amber eyes gazed at the tall, leafless trees that loomed over the forest, protecting it from some of the wind.

"It's prettier when the buds on the trees turn into flowers," Larkpaw meowed to Maplepaw. "But it will be awhile before that happens; I have a feeling this leaf-bare will be a long one."

"We can handle it! We're ThunderClan warriors!" Mudpaw declared boldly. Right after he said that, he stumbled over a tree root. He instantly jumped up and spat dirt out of his mouth.

"Some warrior you are," Sandcloud meowed sarcastically with a glimmer of amusement in her amber eyes. "Watch your paws, Mudpaw. You can't be so oblivious when you're hunting; the prey would hear you all the way in WindClan if you fell while hunting." She added seriously.

Mudpaw flattened his ears in embarrassment. "Yes, Sandcloud. I'm sorry."

"'Sorry' catches no prey." Crowheart growled as he swung his large black head at the pale-brown apprentice.

When Crowheart had turned around, Mudpaw muttered something under his breath about the grouchy black warrior.

Maplepaw then started to hear the sound of rushing water. She opened her jaws and smelled a crisp, clean scent. "Are we near the river?" she asked.

"Yes, we are," Foxstar replied. "Excellent scenting, Maplepaw."

Maplepaw puffed out her chest with pride at her father's praise.

When they reached the river, Maplepaw also saw large, smooth rocks that lay scattered on ThunderClan's side of the river.

"This is Sunningrocks," Foxstar told Maplepaw. "RiverClan and ThunderClan have had many battles over hunting rights here; currently, it is our territory, after we sent RiverClan running back over the river with plenty of wounds to remember us by!"

Orangewhisker meowed in agreement. "I remember the look on Pebbleclaw's face when I raked my claws on his soft belly. He ran yowling back to RiverClan's territory like a kit!"

While the ginger tom was boasting about his fighting moves he used against RiverClan, Maplepaw padded to the edge of the river.

The very edges of the river were lined with a thin sheet of ice. Maplepaw touched the ice with her paw, and watched as it gave way and drifted off downstream. She shook cold drops of water from her paw.

"Hey, watch it!" Larkpaw exclaimed as she approached the stream. Suddenly, her ears pricked. "I smell prey," she hissed to Maplepaw quietly.

Flicking her brown tail at a reed clump, Larkpaw began to slowly stalk the prey that thought it was safe in the reeds.

Within moments, Larkpaw leaped and Maplepaw heard the prey squeal as the apprentice took its life.

Larkpaw came bounding back with a water vole in her jaws. It was a fat one. The scent of the freshly-killed prey wafted into Maplepaw's nostrils. Her mouth watered at the temping piece of prey. She then shook her head. _The Clan must be fed first, especially during leaf-bare. _ She thought.

Orangwhisker and the other mentors came over to Larkpaw. The ginger tabby purred in satisfaction. "Well done, Larkpaw. That will feed the elders."

"It begged to be caught," Larkpaw meow was muffled through the vole fur.

Foxstar turned to the three warriors. "You can go back to camp and see if Cloverfoot wants you to go on patrol. I want to teach Maplepaw to hunt." His warm amber gaze looked at Maplepaw.

Larkpaw waved her tail at Maplepaw as she followed Orangewhisker, Sandcloud, Crowfoot, Mudpaw, and Sparkpaw back to camp.

"Alright," Foxstar began. "Follow me; we'll hunt at the Owl Tree." With a flick of his thick ginger tail, he dashed through the undergrowth with ease.

Maplepaw leapt after him, always staying behind the ThunderClan leader; her legs weren't as long as her father's.

After padding through the leafless undergrowth for a while, the wind had turned cold and Maplepaw could see her breath puffing out of her nostrils like clouds of smoke.

Foxstar had stopped at a large tree. He turned around to make sure his daughter had made it. "Okay," he began when Maplepaw had finally caught up to him, panting. "We'll start with the simple hunter's crouch." He crouched down and wiggled his ginger haunches, keeping his tail parallel to the leaf-strewn ground.

Maplepaw copied him, but her thick tail stirred up the frost-coated leaves.

"Lift up your tail more," Foxstar advised. When Maplepaw had gotten the crouch right, he began to slowly step forward, his large paws made no sound as he crept forward through the leaves.

Maplepaw gently stalked forward, making sure her paws didn't crunch the leaves.

"Very good!" Foxstar purred. "Now, I think you're ready to give it a try on some prey. Use your nose; can you smell anything?"

Maplepaw parted her jaws. "I can smell…." She paused and sniffed again. "WindClan, I think."

"How close?" Foxstar asked.

"Across the stream," Maplepaw replied, nodding to the ice-covered stream.

"Good," Foxstar nodded. "WindClan territory is across the stream. Besides the other Clans' scents, what can you smell?"

Maplepaw sniffed. "I can smell a kind of bird, but I'm not sure what kind it is."

Foxstar parted his jaws. "Thrush," he replied, flicking his tail toward the roots of the Owl Tree.

Maplepaw turned and saw the bird pecking among the roots looking for seeds. Remembering how Foxstar looked, she silently crept forward behind the bird. The wind was blowing towards her, luckily, and in an instant, she pounced, killing the thrush with a swift bite to the spine.

"Excellent catch!" Foxstar exclaimed. "I've never seen an apprentice catch a bird on their first hunting mission!"

Maplepaw purred at her father's praise. She then picked up the thrush by the spine, and headed back toward ThunderClan's camp to add her kill to the fresh-kill pile.


End file.
